Research Business Analyst

Highlands Oncology began in 1996 with three physicians and a desire to change the face of oncology care in our community.  Dr. Malcolm Hayward, Dr. Dan Bradford, and Dr. Thad Beck knew that patients do better at home, in the community where they live and work, and where their support system is already in place. In furthering that goal, Highlands has grown with the region from a single location 26 years ago, to 6 locations in Northwest and Northcentral Arkansas today employing more than 800 diverse team members.

As Northwest Arkansas continues to grow, so must the services and providers available in the region.  Highlands Oncology is committed to remaining on the cutting edge to ensure our community has access to the very best cancer care.  What we have is something quite unique right here in our own backyard with a caring multidisciplinary team focused on treating patients like family.

Job Summary: The Research Business Analyst supports the financial, operational, and compliance functions of the oncology research program. This role is responsible for analyzing clinical research protocols for financial feasibility, developing and negotiating study budgets, monitoring financial performance of active trials, and ensuring compliance with sponsor, institutional, and regulatory requirements. The Research Business Analyst serves as a liaison between research, finance, clinical operations, and sponsors to support the success and sustainability of the research enterprise.

Job Duties / Responsibilities:

•          Review and analyze research protocols to identify required services, procedures, and resources.
•          Develop, negotiate, and finalize study budgets with sponsors and contract research organizations (CROs).
•          Conduct financial feasibility assessments of potential studies to ensure sustainability and resource alignment.
•          Monitor ongoing clinical trial financials, including billing compliance, cost recovery, and variance tracking.
•          Collaborate with research coordinators, principal investigators, and finance teams to ensure accurate billing and reconciliation of sponsor payments.
•          Maintain tracking systems for budget negotiations, executed contracts, and sponsor invoicing.
•          Ensure compliance with federal and state billing regulations, institutional policies, and sponsor requirements.
•          Assist in preparation of financial reports, forecasts, and performance dashboards for leadership.
•          Identify areas for process improvement in research financial workflows and recommend solutions.
•          Participate in audits, monitoring visits, and internal quality assurance reviews.